June 4, 2019
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:13
Why do you think we return to God time and time again asking Him to forgive us? I think it is partly because we fail to pray the other part of the Lord’s Prayer: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
You wouldn’t come to the end of the day and say, “Lord, give me this day my daily bread.” It’s too late! The day is over. “Lord, protect me” is not a prayer for the end of the day; this is the prayer to begin your day.
We wake up in the morning, come to the end of the day, and say, “God, forgive me. I blew it.” And He does. Do you know why we fail? We’ve learned how to pray “Lord, forgive me.” But we’re not praying, “Lord, protect me.”
Each day this week, begin your day with this prayer. Let it become a habit. Expand your prayer to encompass putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”